[EBass]

Hey all. I'm a big Freespace 2 fan, and, being at somewhat of a loose end for games I decided to re-install it and play through it again (for the billionth time). However, I had a thought, would it be possible to play through the campaign in multiplayer with a friend?

I didn't know if I would need a mod for this so I posted it in mods and general discussion.

Also, I remember there used to be a site I could download the game from without using p2p networks. The friends I want to play with have long since lost their copies so I wondered if this site or one like it was still around? Thanks a lot.

[Pred the Penguin]

You could always buy some from Good Ol Games. (or however you spell that.)

[The E]

And the MediaVPs should contain a coop version of the FS2 main campaign, IIRC.

[Jeff Vader]

Also, I remember there used to be a site I could download the game from without using p2p networks. The friends I want to play with have long since lost their copies so I wondered if this site or one like it was still around? Thanks a lot.

There is no more. Because Good Old Games sells FreeSpace 2 legally and at a very good price (six dollars).

[EBass]

Is Voalition still a company? And if not who exactly gets the devs slice of the money? Anyhow many thanks for the quick responses, can I get a link to media VPs?

[Jeff Vader]

Volition is still a company. But Interplay has, and has always had, the rights to FreeSpace. They get their fair share from GOG's sales.

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,58230.0.html

[EBass]

Many thanks for swift responses.

[Herra Tohtori]

Just out of interest - what does the GOG version EULA say about giving copies of the game to friends? It just seems to me that this is a situation that the original EULA clause was meant for, so if it's still there you could just copy your FS2 installation to a flash drive, go to your friend's place and transfer the directory to the other computer.

Buying it from GoG is a good option too because it's practically a nominal fee anyway (if you don't have six dollars to spend you shouldn't afford to have a computer in the first place...)

[darkdaej]

Also, I remember there used to be a site I could download the game from without using p2p networks.

Just for your information:

If you have already purchased a usage license for FS2, you aren't legally bound to pay for your copy of the game a second time, and thus, using P2P in this particular instance is not illegal.

I did this with Crysis (and even rubbed it in EA's face) because their digital download service CHARGES you if you want to re-download the game more than 9 months after purchase.

The important point to recall is that when one purchases a game disc (or pays it and then downloads), what one buys is not this disc or download copy of the game, or the game itself.

What one purchases is a usage license bound by restrictions (the EULA).  Thus is you already bought your playing rights by purchasing the game disc 9 years ago, you can legally download the game off p2p networks.  If the game was registered off interplay, that's all the legal proof required

[darkdaej]

By the way...

I do recall that FS2 retail used to be included in turey's installer, as the new EULA interplay made when it released the source code was that one could distribute and modify the game as they wished as long as they did not make money from it.

HOTU also hosted the game without cinematics and voiceovers for a long time...

this pay-version on GOG...  is it to cover the voice-over usage rights?  and is a retail version of FS2 without cinematics or voice-overs STILL legit to distribute freely as abandonware? 

Or did Interplay change the EULA since it released the source code?

[Jeff Vader]

1. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine.

2. Volition released the source code of the FS2 game engine. All data (models, sounds, textures...) remained proprietary.

3. Abandonware is a convenience term invented by people who wanted to sooth their own conscience when they downloaded proprietary software.

[The E]

Not again....Read this. It's the actual EULA for FS2 as provided by Interplay. EVEN IF THEY DID INCLUDE THE INFAMOUS "FRIENDS" CLAUSE IN EARLIER REVISIONS, BY RELEASING A REVISED EDITION OF THE EULA THAT CLAUSE WAS (AND STILL IS) INVALID. Forget about it NOW.

[Herra Tohtori]

Not again....Read this. It's the actual EULA for FS2 as provided by Interplay. EVEN IF THEY DID INCLUDE THE INFAMOUS "FRIENDS" CLAUSE IN EARLIER REVISIONS, BY RELEASING A REVISED EDITION OF THE EULA THAT CLAUSE WAS (AND STILL IS) INVALID. Forget about it NOW.

That's basically what I asked, so I guess that answers the question "is the friends-clause still valid". Thanks for the link, I didn't remember there were so specific information on the wiki aobut this issue.

Obviously if the latter EULA doesn't contain the friends-clause, it means that clause is no longer worth a mosquito's fart in Sahara. Nevertheless, I was merely pointing out that this is exactly the kind of situation the "friends-clause" was meant for (physically handing out a copy of a game to a friend), not the blatant abuse of it when some attempted to justify hosting the game at the internets with it...

[The E]

Well, I guess this issue comes up often enough to merit an article . Although I guess it should be pointed out more often.